Array assays between surface bound binding agents or probes and target molecules in solution may be used to detect the presence of particular analytes or biopolymers in a solution. The surface-bound probes may be oligonucleotides, peptides, polypeptides, proteins, antibodies or other molecules capable of binding with target biomolecules in the solution. Such binding interactions are the basis for many of the methods and devices used in a variety of different fields, e.g., genomics (in sequencing by hybridization, SNP detection, differential gene expression analysis, identification of novel genes, gene mapping, finger printing, etc.) and proteomics.
One typical array assay method involves biopolymeric probes immobilized in an array on a substrate such as a glass substrate or the like. A solution suspected of containing an analyte or target molecule(s) (“target(s)”) that binds with the attached probes is placed in contact with the bound probes under conditions sufficient to promote binding of targets in the solution to the complementary probes on the substrate to form a binding complex that is bound to the surface of the substrate. The pattern of binding by target molecules to probe features or spots on the substrate produces a pattern, i.e., a binding complex pattern, on the surface of the substrate which is detected. This detection of binding complexes provides desired information about the target biomolecules in the solution.
The binding complexes may be detected by reading or scanning the array with, for example, optical means, although other methods may also be used, as appropriate for the particular assay. For example, laser light may be used to excite fluorescent labels attached to the targets, generating a signal only in those spots on the array that have a labeled target molecule bound to a probe molecule. This pattern may then be digitally scanned for computer analysis. Such patterns can be used to generate data for biological assays such as the identification of drug targets, single-nucleotide polymorphism mapping, monitoring samples from patients to track their response to treatment, assessing the efficacy of new treatments, etc.
There are two main ways of producing polymeric arrays in which the immobilized polymers are covalently attached to the substrate surface: via in situ synthesis in which the polymers are grown on the surface of the substrate in a step-wise fashion and via deposition of the full polymer, e.g., a pre-synthesized nucleic acid/polypeptide, cDNA fragment, etc., onto the surface of the array.
Where the in situ synthesis approach is employed, conventional phosphoramidite synthesis protocols are typically used. In phosphoramidite synthesis protocols, the 3′-hydroxyl group of an initial 5′-protected nucleoside is first covalently attached to the polymer support, e.g., a planar substrate surface.
Synthesis of the nucleic acid then proceeds by deprotection of the 5′-hydroxyl group of the attached nucleoside, followed by coupling of an incoming nucleoside-3′-phosphoramidite to the deprotected 5′ hydroxyl group (5′-OH). The resulting phosphite triester is finally oxidized to a phosphotriester to complete the intemucleotide bond. The steps of deprotection, coupling and oxidation are repeated until a nucleic acid of the desired length and sequence is obtained.
It will be apparent that the effectiveness of employing these arrays depends on the precision with which these oligonucleotides can be synthesized on the substrate surface. As with any chemical process, certain factors may cause the yields of specific steps in the synthesis of oligonucleotides to be less than 100%, resulting in unintended or unwanted intermediate species.
Oftentimes in situ synthesis is carried-out by way of highly automated methods that employ in situ fluid deposition synthesis devices such as pulse-jet fluid deposition devices in which thermal or piezo pulse jet devices analogous to inkjet printing devices are employed to deposit fluids of biopolymeric precursor molecules, i.e., monomers, onto a substrate surface. For example, Roda et al., Biotechniques (2000) 28:492–496, describe a method in which a conventional inkjet printer is used for the microdeposition of proteins. In this report, the black ink was removed from a Hewlett Packard ink cartridge and the cartridge was extensively washed with water. The cartridge was filled with the protein deposition solution using a microsyringe and sealed. U.S. patents disclosing thermal and/or piezo pulse jet deposition of biopolymer containing fluids onto a substrate include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,877,745; 5,449,754; 5,474,796; 5,658,802; 5,700,637; 5,958,342; 6,015,880 and 6,419,883. Other in situ fluid deposition synthesis methods and devices such as those that employ other technology such as spotting a fluid with a pin or acoustical focusing may also be employed for in situ synthesis.
In this manner, a series of droplets, each containing one particular type of reactive deoxynucleoside phosphoramidite is sequentially applied to each discrete area or “feature”, sometimes referred to as a “spot”, of the array by a pulse-jet printhead or other analogous technology. The inventors have realized that, unfortunately, the precision at which successive droplets can be applied to a feature is insufficient to guarantee that each successive droplet is deposited at the precise location to which it is intended, i.e., to ensure that each successive droplet is confined to the intended feature area or that the entire feature will be covered by any particular droplet. Misalignment of successively applied droplets may lead to significant amounts of undesirable polymers that are unintentionally synthesized along with a desired polymer within each feature, and may, in addition, lead to synthesis of unwanted polymers in regions of the surface of the array substrate adjacent to each feature.
More specifically, during fabrication of in situ oligonucleotide arrays, the oligonucleotide synthesis cycle is spatially controlled to initiate synthesis and perform successive couplings at specific locations on the substrate surface. Accordingly, coupling of the phosphoramidites is spatially controlled using pulse-jet fluid deposition technology (or other suitable technology) and the remainder of the steps, e.g., capping, oxidation, etc., is performed in a flow cell. Consequently, during the synthesis of each successive oligonucleotide layer, the solid support is transferred between a stage such as an XYZ stage of a spatially controlled reaction module for coupling and a non-spatially controlled reaction module for optionally capping, oxidation, etc. Therefore, spatial registration and alignment is necessary prior to coupling in the spatially controlled reaction module to ensure that the phosphoramidite reagents are delivered at the same locations as the previous reagents. The inventors have realized that a shift or misalignment in the stage position and/or in the alignment of one or more of the deposition heads of the spatially controlled reaction module results in a misalignment in the location of the delivered droplets of phosphoramidites reagents at different layers of the synthesis. Consequently, the inventors have realized that a mixture of full length or intended sequences and unintended sequences may be produced if misalignment occurs.
FIG. 1 shows the result of such a misalignment as realized by the inventors where a two step synthesis process, i.e., a two-layer synthesis made of two nucleotides, i.e., a dinucleotide, is illustrated. The misalignment during synthesis may be due the misalignment of the printheads and results in a first layer or first droplet 112 that includes a first deposited nucleoside and a second layer or second droplet 114 that includes a second deposited nucleoside, where the two layers are not correctly positioned with respect to each other. As shown, the inventors have realized that due to the misalignment, three discrete regions are produced instead of a desired single region having the full length intended nucleic acid that would have been the result if no misalignment occurred. Accordingly, region 113 is made-up of only the first nucleotide. A misalignment causes the second layer to be shifted with respect to the first layer resulting in a region 115 that is made-up of only the second nucleotide. Due to a portion of the second droplet overlaying a portion of the first droplet, third region 116 is also produced and includes the intended full length sequence made-up of both first and second nucleotides coupled together, i.e., a dinucleotide. This misalignment can be repeated for each sequential nucleotide addition and between cycles of an in situ synthesis process.
Furthermore, the synthesized oligonucloetides may be composed of one or more of, oftentimes all of, four different nucleotides in a particular sequence, where the nucleotides may be delivered by pulse-jet fluid deposition printheads during coupling in the spatially controlled reaction module. Typically, these printheads include one or more nozzles or apertures thereon, through which a precursor reagent, e.g., a particular nucleotide, is dispensed. The precursor reagents are typically contained within one or more reagent reservoirs that are associated with the printheads, and more specifically one or more nozzles of a printhead. The number of nozzles per reservoir or per printhead may vary and may range from about 2 about 1024, e.g., from about 20 to about 256. Accordingly, the number of printheads employed may vary and may range from four printheads such that each type of nucleotide may be deposited by an individual, independent printhead to two printheads such that two types of nucleotides may be delivered by a single printhead having two reagent reservoirs associated therewith.
Thus, the inventors have realized that the relative misalignment between two printheads may therefore be determined by the relative alignment of the printhead nozzles with respect to each other, e.g., a nozzle of one printhead relative to a nozzle of another printhead. Accordingly, the inventors have realized that a misalignment of any of these printheads, or rather the nozzles of the printheads, relative to each other will produce a mixture of full length sequences, i.e., intended sequences, and unintended sequences.
Regardless of how the unintended sequences are produced, when contacted with a sample containing labeled target molecules during an array assay, not only can the full length intended sequence bind labeled target molecules in the sample, but also one or more unintended sequences can bind labeled target molecules in the sample. The inventors have realized that the presence of these undesirable polymers produced on the substrate surface may lead to less specific binding of radioactively, fluorescently or chemiluminescently labeled target to the array, which may in turn lead to a significant decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio in the analysis of the array which may compromise array assay results, e.g., if all of the pixels from the features are used in the data analysis.
Accordingly, there continues to be an interest in the development of new methods and devices to detect any printhead misalignments of an in situ nucleic acid array synthesis fluid deposition device. Of particular interest is the development of such methods and devices that are easy to use, cost effective, effective at detecting printhead misalignments and which may enable immediate detection and/or adjustments of one or more printheads of an in situ nucleic acid array synthesis fluid deposition device if misalignment is detected.